Improvement in self-acting mules for spinning



i ll/Iassachusetts, have invented certain Improveruns in77 the drum E is revolved by the chain D UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

PETER MCGOVERN, OF LAWRENCE, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN SELF-ACTING MULES FOR SPINNING.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER MCGOVERN, of the city of Lawrence, county of Essex, and Sta-te of ments in Mules for Spinning, of which the followin g is a specification:

My invention has reference to that part of the mule which governs the running of the screw of the quadrant to regulate the speed of the spindles in winding the yarn upon the cops or bobbins while the carriage is running in; also, to devices for regulating the shipping` of the driving-belt on a mule from the loose pulley to the tight pulley on the driving-shaft.

The spinning-mule is a machine in such common use that a particular description of all the details of its operations is not deemed necessary; but 1 will describe its main or general features as follows: The mule consists of a head, from which all the motions are derived; a set of top and bottom rolls, between which passes the sliver of cotton or wool or fiber to be spun, and thence to the spindles, which are mounted on a carriage. When the mule is at the starting-point, the earriage stands in at the nearest point to the rolls. As the rolls deliver the sliver the carriage recedes from them at about the same rate of speed that the sliver is delivered, the spindles running at the same time at a speed to give the properl amount of twist to the yarn. y On many kinds of work it is necessary to run the spindles, after the carriage is out, to the end of its traverse or stretch, in order to put into the yarn the required amount of twist. After the yarn is sufficiently twisted the mule backs off and the carriage runs in to its starting-point, and while running in the spindles revolve at a proper speed to wind the yarn upon the bobbin.

The drawings are comprised in two sheets, A and B.

When the carriage runs in the yarn is guided on the bobbin by the builder-faller A. To the counter-faller B is attached a weight. When the builder-taller A bears the yarn down to guide it on the bobbin, the counter-faller Bis brought up by its weight under the yarn to give it a proper tension to be wound upon the bobbin. To the quadrant C is attached the chain l). This chain D passes around the drum E. When the carriage in consequence of its being attached to the quadrant, the quadrant at the same time making a partial revolution in the direction in which the carriage is moving. On the quadrant-screw Fis a nut, G, to which is attached the chain l). It is evident that the lower the nut G is on the screw the faster the spindles will be driven. When the bobbin is empty the spindle has to be driven faster than when it is full in order to take up the yarn. For this reason, when the building of the bobbin is commenced the nut G is run down to the bottom or near the bottom of the screw, and as the bobbin increases in size the nut has to go up on the screw. To produce this result there is at the bottom of the screw a pair of bevel-gears, connecting it with the pulley J. On this pulley runs a belt, K. This belt passes between the short arm of the leverM a-nd the stand N. The lever M is suspended from the fallers by the chain 0, so that the short arm of the lever M will just clear the belt when the yarn has the proper tension, as shown at y, Fig. l. As the bobbin increases in size the yarn is taken up faster by the revolution of the spindle. The counter-faller is thereby depressed, consequently lowering the lever M until its short arm swings back to the position a' and clamps the belt K between it and the stop N and holds it firmly, as any resistance to the movement of the belt causes the point of the lever M to gripe the belt so much the harder, as is obvious upon an inspection of thedrawing. The carriage passing in at the same time, the belt is necessarily carried along with it. The belt, acting on the pulley J, feeds the nut on the screw, thus regulating the speed of the spindle as the bobbin increases in size. The lever M is lifted off the belt, when the roll in the end of the rod P runs up on the incline of the stand Q when the carriage is nearly in. As the position of the short arm of the lever M, while the belt is clamped, is such that the friction of the parts would oifer some resistance to the release of its hold upon the belt, which might embarrass the operation of the fallers, the employment of the inclined stand Q, and rod 1 in combination with the lever M, to release its hold upon the belt at a given point when the carriage is run in, leaves the fallers free to work without restraint.

When the carriage is running in, the belt c runs wholly on the pulley b, which runs loosely on the shaft c. When the carriage arrives in at pulley k.

the point of starting' its connection with the pulley b ceases and the pulley merely runs loosely on the shaft. At this time the cam e makes a quarter revolution, and the spring g causes the shippei` 71. to move over until the finger fi comes in contact with the cam e, as shown in Figs. l, 2, 3. This carries the belt partly on the tight Were it not for the finger i the belt would be carried further on the tight pulley k, until the roll d came in contact with the cam e, as shown in Fig. 4. The object of the finger is to prevent the belt from shipping on the tight pulley its full width, thereby allowing it to slip a little on the pulley when the mule starts out, so as to start more gently, avoiding the severe strain on the gearing, which would occur were the belt allowed to shift further on the pulley. This finger i is adjustable by a set-screw, so that the distance the belt ships on the pulley can be regulated at pleasure and very conveniently. The mule can be run at a much greater speed with this arrangement than without it. When the mule has run out the cam e makes a quarter revolution, and the belt is shipped further on the pulley by the action of the spring g, until the roll d comes in contact with the cam e, as shown in Fig. 4, thus getting the full power of the belt on the driving-pulley at the time of putting in the head-twist. I thus secure the full power of the belt at the time and place where it is most needed, as well as relieving the machine from undue strain when it rst starts out, as described.

What I claim isl. The combination of the belt K and stop N with the short arm of the lever M, controlled by the fallers, all constructed and arranged substantially as described, so that the resistance of the belt will tighten the hold of the lever upon it.

2. The incline Q, for releasing the hold of the weighted lever M upon the belt when the carriage has run in, substantially as described.

3. The ngersi and d, in combination with the shipping-rod h and cam e, substantially as described.

PETER MGGOVERN.

Witnesses:

ANDREW C. STONE, C. H. LITTLEFIELD. 

